Nepenthes khasiana

Nepenthes khasiana ( /nɨˈpɛnθiːz ˌxæsiˈɑːnə/; after the Khasi Hills, to which it is largely endemic) is a tropical pitcher plant of the genus Nepenthes. It is the only Nepenthes species native to India.

The species has a very localised distribution and is rare in the wild. Isolated populations are known to occur in the Jarain area of the Jaintia Hills and the Baghmara area of the Garo Hills, adjacent to the Khasi Hills region of Meghalaya. Nevertheless, N. khasiana exhibits considerable genetic diversity.^[2]

The Khasi people call the plant tiew-rakot, which means demon-flower or devouring-plant. The Jaintias call it kset phare, which is roughly translated as lidded fly net. The Garo call the plant memang-koksi, which literally means the basket of the devil.^[3]

Nepenthes khasiana is a protected species, classified as Endangered, and is on CITES Appendix I along with N. rajah. In 2010, the Rare Nepenthes Collection was established with the aim of conserving 4 of the most threatened Nepenthes species: N. aristolochioides, N. clipeata, N. khasiana, and N. rigidifolia.^[4][5]

References

• Bahadur, V., K.S. Kirad, A. Mathew & D.B. Singh 2008. Tissue culture studies in Nepenthes khasiana. Acta Horticulturae (ISHS) 786: 287–293.
• Bordoloi, R.P.M. 1977. The Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes khasiana. Carnivorous plants of North East India I. Dutta Baruah, Gauhati.
• Eilenberg, H., S. Pnini-Cohen, S. Schuster, A. Movtchan & A. Zilberstein 2006. Isolation and characterization of chitinase genes from pitchers of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes khasiana. Journal of Experimental Botany 57(11): 2775–2784. doi:10.1093/jxb/erl048
• Eilenberg, H., S. Pnini-Cohen, Y. Rahamim, E. Sionov, E. Segal, S. Carmeli & A. Zilberstein 2010. Induced production of antifungal naphthoquinones in the pitchers of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes khasiana. Journal of Experimental Botany 61(3): 911–922. doi:10.1093/jxb/erp359
• Jain, S.K. & A.K. Baishya 1977. Nepenthes khasiana: an endangered species. Hornbill: 17–18.
• Jebb, M. & Cheek, M. 1997. A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae). Blumea 42(1): 1–106.
• Joseph, J. & K.M. Joseph 1986. Insectivorous Plants of Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India: A Preliminary Survey. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.
• Latha, P.G. & S. Seeni 1994. Multiplication of the endangered Indian pitcher plant (Nepenthes khasiana) through enhanced axillary branching in vitro. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 38(1): 69–71. doi:10.1007/BF00034447
• Mandal, B. & A. Mukherjee 2011. Nepenthes khasiana: the pitcher plant needs attention for conservation.PDF Current Science 100(6): 807.
• Mao, A.A. & P. Kharbuli 2002. Distribution and status of Nepenthes khasiana Hook. f.—a rare endemic pitcher plant of Meghalaya, India. Phytotaxonomy 2: 77–83.
• Mukerjee, A., D.P. Dam & N. Dam 1984. Pitcher plant—an ornamental climber of Meghalaya. Ind. Hort. April–June 1: 6–18.
• Rao, T.A., P.G. Shanware & G.N. Tribedi 1969. A note on the pitcher plant habitat in Assam. Ind. For. 95: 611–613.
• Riedel, M., A. Eichner, H. Meimberg & R. Jetter 2007. Chemical composition of epicuticular wax crystals on the slippery zone in pitchers of five Nepenthes species and hybrids. Planta 225(6): 1517–1534. doi:10.1007/s00425-006-0437-3
• Shil, D., J.P. Mohanty, T. Das, N.R. Bhuyan, T. Uriah & T.S.M. Saleem 2010. Protective role of pitcher of Nepenthes khasiana Hook against dexamethazone induced hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance in rats. International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 1(2): 195–198.
• Shil, D., T.S.M. Saleem, P. Deb & M. Basak 2010. The effect of leaf of Nepenthes khasiana Hook on dexamethazone induced diabetes mellitus.PDF Global Journal of Pharmacology 4(2): 62–65.
• Subramanyam, K. & L.L. Narayana 1971. A contribution to the floral anatomy of Nepenthes khasiana Hook f.. Proceedings: Plant Sciences 73(3): 124–131. doi:10.1007/BF03045312
• (Russian) Vassilyev, A.E. 2006. Ультраструктура и субклеточные механизмы функционирования пищеварительных железок плотоядного растения Nepenthes khasiana (Nepenthaceae). Botanicheskii Zhurnal 91(12): 1883–1891.
• (Russian) Vassilyev, A.E. & L.E. Muravnik 2007. Нектарники крышки в закрытых кувшинах Nepenthes khasiana (Nepenthaceae) секретируют пищеварительную жидкость. Botanicheskii Zhurnal 92(8): 1141–1144.
• (Russian) Vassilyev, A.E. 2007. Нектарники перистома в закрытых кувшинах Nepenthes khasiana (Nepenthaceae) секретируют полисахаридную слизь. Botanicheskii Zhurnal 92(10): 1554–1568.
• Venugopal, N. & N.R. Devi 2003. Development of the anther in Nepenthes khasiana Hook.f. (Nepenthaceae), an endemic and endangered insectivorous plant of North East India. Feddes Repertorium 114(1–2): 69–73. doi:10.1002/fedr.200390018
• From Carnivorous Plants to the Medicine Cabinet? American Friends of Tel Aviv University, February 18, 2010.